Vacuum sealed casket



Nov. 11, 1952 H. JQKIMMEL 2,617,171

VACUUM SEALED CASKET Filed April 11, 1950 2 SHEETS-Sl-IEET 1 lll I INVENTOR. flaw/5y vffzkzz zei,

A'ITDRNEYS H. J. KlMMEL VACUUM SEALED CASKET Nov. 11, 1952 Filed April 11, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENT ATI'DRNEYS a w m J M F Patented Nov. 11, 1952 UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE VACUUM SEALED CASKET Harry J. Kimmel, Seattle, Wash., assignor of onethird to Henry A.'De Long, Seattle, Wash.

Application April 11, 1950, Serial No. 155,260

' 2 Claims.

l f This invention relates to burial caskets, and in particular means for positively sealing a casket for preserving a body therein.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for hermetically sealing a casket in which a preservative or' moisture absorbing fluid may vbe injected into the casket and withdrawn or sealed therein.

Various attempts have been made to seal caskets by the use of gaskets and other sealing means, however, gaskets of the resilient type deteriorate with age and devices of this type are not satisfactory for indefinite use. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a casket formed of plastic with a continuous tongue on the undersurface of the cover positioned in a corresponding groove at the upper edge of the wall of the casket wherein a solvent such as acetone, may be placed in the groove for softening surfaces of the tongue andgroove to positively seal the parts and in which a valve may be provided through the wall of the casket for injecting fluid or for withdrawing fluid to provide a vacuum threin and wherein the valve is provided with a plastic point that is also sealed by a solvent or the like. The object of thisinvention is, therefore, to provide means for forming a casket whereby the casket is positively and permanently sealed. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a sealed casket that may be formed of transparent material whereby the contents are visible at all times. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a casket having positive and permanent sealing means which is of simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a casket having a groove in a continuous bead around the upper edge with a cover having a tongue corresponding with the groove and with a valvein combination with a filling plug in a cavity extended through the wall of the casket and formed of materials for positive sealing.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the'casket with the cover slightly raised above the upper end of the wall thereof and with parts broken away and shown in section. I

Figure 2 is a plan view of the casket shown in Figure 1 with the cover removed.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the casket taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail on an enlarged scale showing a section through one side of the casket and cover and illustrating a valve positioned in an inlet opening through the cover and wall of the casket.

. Figure 5 is a similar view showing the valve sealed.

Figure 6 is a detail showing a typical section through a corner of the casket and cover with-the 14 having a continuous upwardly extended. wall IS with a bead I6 having a groove I! in the upper surface extended around the upper edge and, as illustrated in Figure 2 the inner surface of the wall is bulged inwardly at the point l8 providing an inner arcuate section l9 of the groove with a boss 20 surrounded by the groove and through which an opening 2| extends, as illustrated in Figure 4.

The cover I! is provided with a continuous tongue 22 that extends downwardly into the groove [1 with the cover on the body portion, and the cover may also be provided with an arcuate section 23 of the tongue that extends into the section l9 of the groove also as shown in Figure 4.

The valve 12 which is preferably formed of plastic, is carried on the end of a stem 24 of a threaded section 25 and the section 25 is threaded in a bushing 26 that is positioned in a boss 21 on the wall of the casket. The stem 24 is provided with a knurled head 28 by which the valve [2 may be adjusted to open or close, an opening 29 extended from the valve seat 30.

the valve seat, as indicated by the numeral 3| and, as illustrated in Figure 4 the upper end of the opening 2| communicates with a registering opening 32 in the cover II, the upper end of which is provided with a threaded bushing 33. A sleeve 34 may also be provided in the lower end of the opening 32 and, as shown in the draw ing, the sleeve 34 may extend into the upper end of the opening 2|.

When sufficient material has been injected into The opening 2| also communicates with a chamber around or withdrawn through the openings 29, 24 and 32 the valve may be closed against the seat and a plug 35 may be threaded into the bushing 33 to close the opening. With the cover, wall of the casket and the valve I2 formed of plastic, a solvent, as indicated by the numeral 36 may be poured into the openings whereby the -valve and associated elements are positively sealed.

With a similar solvent positioned in the grooves F in the upper edge of the body portion of the casket the solvent will be forced over the adjoining surfaces of the cover and casket as indicated by the numeral 3'! in Figure and with the cover secured in position by vacuum the solvent .will soften the surfaces of the cover and casket whereby a positive bond will be obtained between the elements and the casket will be sealed.

The cover I I may alsobe provided with a boss, as indicated by the numeral 38 and a cavity 39 is extended through the .coverand boss with a threaded bushing .40 in the outer end of the cavity and in which the plug .13 is threaded, asrshown in Figure 7. The cavity 39 is also provided with a side connection 4| that extends through a threaded opening 62 in which a sealing plug .43 ispositioned.

By this means gases or other fluids-may be withdrawn from the casket through the cavity 39 and after the fluids havefbeen exhausted the plug I3 is inserted to seal the outer end of the cavity and a solvent is placed throughthe side connection 5|. After the solvent is in place the plug 43 is inserted to seal the outer end of .the cavity 41.

The body portion and cover of the casket may be formed of transparent material ,or the material may be opaque, translucent, or of any suitable color.

With the parts formed in this manner the moisture absorbing fluid maybe forced intothe casket under pressure whereby substantially "all moisture maybe eliminated "from the casket and this fluid and also all other gas'in the casket may be withdrawn to provide a vacuum whereby an embalmed body may be preserved indefinitely. It will also be understood that the casket maybe filled with a preserving gas or liquid and this 'tion.

'Wh'at is claimed is:

1. A sealing casket comprising a box-like plas- ;tic casing havinga bottom with a continuous wall extended upwardly therefrom, said casing having *an opening with "a valve seat therein extended through the wall thereof and also having an intersecting opening extended from the opening having the valve seat therein upwardly through .the upper part of the wall of the casing, a threaded bushing pos'itionedin the openingiinlthe wall of the casing, and a valve threaded .in .the

bushing in the opening.

2. In a sealing casket, a-box-like plasticcasing having .a bottom wall with a continuous wall extended upwardly therefrom, sai'd .casinghaving anopening with a valve seat therein extended through the wall thereof and .alsoihaving an intersecting openingextended from the opening having \the valve seat therein upwardly through the upper part of the Wall of the casing, and a valve for said valve .seat.

HARRY J .1 KIMMEL.

REFERENCES CITED The-following referencesareof record:in:the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 30,252 Scollay "Oct/2,1863 1,270,543 'Navarrete'et al June 25,1918 1,450,291 Heacock Apr. 3, 1923 2,199,018 Bahr Apr. '30, 1940 2,285,220 Morrell June 2, 1942 2,375,386 Rick May 8, 1945 2,579,756 Reed Dec..25,'195-1 

